Did you know... Velvet ants are parasites of other wasps and bees. The male does not sting and it has wings while the female does sting but does not have wings. The female Cicada killer wasp drags cicadas up a tree until she's high enough to enable her to soar back to her burrow, where hatching larvae feed on the paralyzed cicadas. Like spiders, scorpions have two arms near their mouths. There are more than 70 species in North America, but most are not dangerous. Female scorpions give birth to live young. Assassin bugs have a tubular mouthpiece for piercing animals and sucking out all of their juices.   Venom! by James Dixon Some Missouri animals use it for protection and for hunting. Does the mere thought of spiders and snakes make you shudder or shiver? Many people feel that way. That's why movie-makers create so many of those cheesy horror flicks that have giant, bloodthirsty spiders or horrific, villainous snakes chasing down humans to deliver a fatal bite. Luckily, the truth about Missouri's venomous animals is very different from what you've seen in the movies. For starters, venoumous animals tend to be shy and unwilling to bite humans unless they feel threatened. Also, venom is not confined to spiders and snakes. Many other animals in Missouri are considered venomous. What exactly is venom? It's not the same as poison. Venom is injected into a victim through a break in the skin, like when you suffer a copperhead bite. Poison is a substance that is absorbed through the skin, like the irritant from a poison ivy leaf, or eaten, like poisonous mushrooms. Many animals rely on venom for self defense and for capturing prey. You've probably never heard of some of theses animals but, as you study them, you'll learn how venom is useful in helping them to survive. Velvet ant Velvet ants are a common sight in southern Missouri. The king-size velvet ant isn't an ant at all. It's a member of the wasp group. Female velvet ants do not have wings, so they are commonly mistaken for ants. Velvet ants are very colorful, usually orange and black, and can grow about an inch long. Their bodies are covered with so many hairs that they look furry, or velvety. Even though the velvet may look soft, you should keep your hands away. The velvet ant has such a powerful stinger and venom that it has earned the nickname "cow killer!" Of course they don't really kill cows, but the nickname suggests that it might be better to leave them alone. Luckily, their bright colors make velvet ants easy to identify. Their venom is used to keep other animals from eating them. Velvet ants don't live in groups, they are solitary. The females spend their time walking quickly along the ground looking for holes made by bumblebees. Once they find one, they rush inside to look for young bees, called larvae. The velvet ant will then lay one egg next to each developing bee. When the young velvet ants hatch, they eat the bee larvae.   Cicada killers These black and pale-yellow striped wasps can grow to be more than one and a half inches long. They are the largest wasp in Missouri. They may look dangerous, but their venom is mainly used to help them gather food for their young. As you might expect, a cicade killer mainly hunts cicadas. They patrol for them during the summer months. When a cicada killer finds a cicada, it paralyzes it with its stinger. When the prey is no longer able to struggle, the cicada killer takes it back to its nest as food for its larvae. If it catches a cicade to heavy to fly with, it'll drag it back to its nest. Although the young fest on cicadas, adult cicada killers actually eat nectar. Female cicada killers dig nests in areas with sandy soil, often in a lawn where people work and play. Though they look like they would sting you at athe drop of a hat, you shouldn't fret about them. As long as you don't step on one or try to catch it, you probably won't get stung.   Missouri's only scorpion About 40 different types of scorpions live in the United States, but only one species makes its home in Missouri. Striped scorpions are common in the southern part of our state. They live under rocks and logs and in other dark places. Excellent camouflage helps them hide. You really have to have a good eye to find one. The striped scorpion uses its venom to catch and kill crickets, spiders and other small invertebrates. It hides during most of the day and comes out at night to hunt for food. The tip of its tail is shaped into a sharp stinge. Its venom is stored in a gland right next to the stinger. The striped scorpion's sting is normally not dangerous to humans, but it is painful.   True assassin The assassin bug has a long skinny mouth. It uses its straw-like mouth to suck juices out of other bugs. The word assassin means "killer," and these little bugs are excellent at killing other insects. After sneaking up on a victim, the assassin bug stabs it with its pointy, straw-like mouth. The assassin then injects venom into its prey, quickly killing it. The assassin bug uses the same "straw" to slurp out the insides of its victim. You can look at them, but don't touch assassin bugs. Their venom causes pain that can last several minutes. Missouri's venoumous animals usually aren't considered threats to us. Even if you happen to be bitten or stung, your chances of dying are very slim. The few people who do die usually have an allergic reaction to the venom. You can check with your family doctor to learn whether you are allergic to certain types of venom. Many other venomous creatures crawl and fly around Missouri. They usually are tiny, and are more dangerous to other animals than they are to us. As is the case with almost all wildlife, if you leave them alone, they'll leave you alone. They're much more interested in their next meal than in bothering us.